Political parties have condemned plans to stage a protest is against asylum seekers being housed at a Newquay hotel.

Conservative Group on Cornwall Council and The Labour Party in St Austell and Newquay have both spoken out against protestor’s plans to block the road outside the Beresford Hotel at Narrowcliff on Saturday, February 25.

Stephen Hick, the secretary of the Labour Party in St Austell and Newquay called on “everyone to oppose the scapegoating of the innocent and vulnerable.”

Cllr Linda Taylor, the Conservative Group Leader and Leader of Cornwall Council stated the protest, which is being supported by the Reform UK, is “abhorrent,” and “needs to be called out for the shallow and crass opportunism that it is.”

Cllr Taylor said: “Cornwall must do its part in helping deal with the processing of people who have come to our country seeking asylum, which is why the Home Office is using a hotel in Newquay to house these people while they are awaiting processing as part of this process.

“That certain far right elements of our society are using this as an excuse to protest, and particularly those that hope to gain political capital from it, is abhorrent, and needs to be called out for the shallow and crass opportunism that it is.”

Cllr Hick added: “The Labour Party in St Austell and Newquay condemn utterly, attacks against migrants in the Newquay area and anywhere they occur.

“We call upon our members and everyone to oppose the scapegoating of the innocent and vulnerable.

“The UK has a proud tradition of defending those unable to defend themselves, and we in The Labour Party proudly uphold this stance at all times.

“Along with other political parties and right-thinking people we affirm that it is unacceptable to victimise anyone at any time for any reason, and especially when it is done for political gain.

“We are appalled that far right tendencies have gained momentum in our beautiful, friendly, and welcoming town and county.

“Labour has a proud tradition of standing up on behalf of the oppressed and defending them, and all of us, against those who seek to oppress us.

“We founded NATO and we rebuilt the UK after a six year long war to defeat fascism, racism, and far right ideology – and we hold firm to those ideals today.

“We recognise that there is extreme and legitimate hurt and anger at current issues such as the cost of living and housing crises and we campaign and work every single  day to resolve them, however we do not accept anyone using these crises to attack those less fortunate than ourselves, it is reprehensible and utterly incompatible with the ideals of The Labour Party and with UK society in general to do so."

Mebyon Kernow, the Party for Cornwall has expressed its "disgust" the protest is planned. Mebyon Kernow's leadership team stressed Cornwall's long history of reaching out to support those in need and rejected "far-right groups" from out of Cornwall, who "may be trying to spread hate down here."

Councillor Michael Bunney, chairman of St.Austell & Newquay MK, said  "Cornwall has always helped the vulnerable, from Belgian refugees in the First World War, to Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust.

"It is racists and hateful far-right activists who are not welcome.

"Our communities have always been diverse, and caring for our neighbours is a key part of Cornish culture.

"The racists must not be allowed to speak for us and any protest against asylum seekers is not in our name."

The planned protest at the Beresford Hotel in Newquay follows 15 people being arrested after violent clashes outside a Merseyside hotel accommodating asylum seekers.

A police officer and two members of the public suffered minor injuries during the disorder in Knowsley on Friday.

A police van was set alight and missiles including lit fireworks were thrown at officers.

Thirteen males and two women, aged between 13 and 54, have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.